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Middle-aged people with migraine with aura may be at greater risk of stroke.
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Those who had migraine with aura had a 73% increased risk of stroke
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Middle-aged men who suffer from any type of migraine have a 3.5-fold increased risk of stroke.
THURSDAY, May 21, 2026 (NewsDay News) — Middle-aged people who suffer from migraines with aura are more likely to have a stroke, a new study says.
Overall, people with migraines accompanied by aura have a 73% increased risk strokeresearchers recently reported in the journal Neurology.
By comparison, people living with migraines who did not experience auras were not associated with an increased risk of stroke, the researchers found.
Auras are visual or sensory disturbances that precede a migraine, the researchers said in a background note.
Auras can include flashes of light, blind spots, zigzag lines, or bright spots, according to information. Mayo Clinic.
“Previous research has shown that migraine with aura is associated with an increased risk of stroke in young adults, but less is known about people aged 45 and older,” said the lead researcher. Dr. Adam Sprouse Bloomassociate professor of neurology at the University of Vermont in Burlington.
“Our study showed that, as in young people, migraine with aura is associated with an increased risk of the disease ischemic stroke in middle and older adults,” Sprouse Bloom said in a news release.
For the new study, researchers followed nearly 11,400 people 45 and older for an average of six years. These people were participating in a larger study of stroke.
Of the participants, 1,130 suffered from migraine attacks, including 491 with aura and 639 without, the researchers said.
In the study, about 3% of people without migraine had a stroke, compared to about 4% with migraine.
About 5% of migraine sufferers with aura had a stroke, compared to 3% of those with migraine without aura.
When researchers divided migraine sufferers into two groups, they found that those with aura had a 73% higher risk of stroke.
The researchers also found that men younger than 72 had a more than 3.5 times increased risk of stroke from any type of migraine, with or without aura.
“Our finding that middle-aged and older men over the age of 72 have an increased risk of stroke was unexpected because previous research in young adults has shown that stroke disproportionately affects women,” Sprouse-Bloom said.
“Future studies are needed to better understand these findings,” he said. “If the findings are confirmed, it may be possible to provide targeted stroke prevention counseling for individuals in this age group.”
More information
The Mayo Clinic has more information migraine with aura.
Sources: American Academy of Neurology, news release, May 20, 2026; NeurologyMay 20, 2026
What does this mean for you?
People living with migraine with aura should talk to their doctor about ways to reduce their overall risk of stroke.
